Proposal 1: Election of Directors
We have adopted a majority voting standard for director elections. Each nominee for election as a director in an “uncontested election” (as is the case for the Annual Meeting), as described in our amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”), will be elected as a director at the Annual Meeting if the number of votes cast for the nominee's election exceeds the number of votes cast against the nominee's election. Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast on the matter and will have no effect on the outcome of the election. We have also adopted a director resignation policy that applies to any incumbent director nominee who does not receive a majority of the votes cast. We do not have cumulative voting rights for the election of directors.
Proposal 2: Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The affirmative vote of at least a majority of Common Shares present or represented at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the matter is required for the ratification of the selection of Deloitte as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Abstentions have the same effect as a vote “AGAINST” the matter. Broker non-votes, if any, will have no effect on the outcome.
Who is paying for the Annual Meeting and the proxy solicitation?
We will pay the costs associated with the Annual Meeting and the solicitation of proxies, including the preparation, assembly, printing and mailing of the proxy materials. We may also reimburse brokers, fiduciaries, or custodians for their reasonable costs of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners of Common Shares held in “street name.” Certain of our employees, officers, and directors may solicit proxies in person, by telephone, electronic communication, or the internet. We will not pay additional compensation to our employees, officers, and directors for any of these services.
How can I find out the voting results?
We expect to announce preliminary voting results at the Annual Meeting. Final voting results will be published in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC within four (4) business days after the Annual Meeting.
Delivery of documents to stockholders sharing an address, or “householding”
SEC rules permit companies and intermediaries, such as brokers, to satisfy delivery requirements for proxy materials and notices and send a single set of proxy materials, including the Notice, this Proxy Statement and the 2024 Annual Report, to any household at which two (2) or more stockholders reside unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. This process is commonly referred to as “householding” and provides costs savings for companies and helps the environment by conserving natural resources.
This year, a number of brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be householding our proxy materials. A single copy of the proxy materials will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address. Your broker will continue householding until notified otherwise by one or more of these stockholders. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate copy of proxy materials, or if your household is receiving multiple copies and you wish to request that future deliveries be limited to a single copy, notify your broker. If you would like to request additional copies of the proxy materials, please send a written request to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the address set forth on the first page of this Proxy Statement, visit www.proxyvote.com, or call 1-800-579-1639 and we will promptly provide them to you.
Availability of additional information
We will provide, free of charge, a printed copy of our 2024 Annual Report, including exhibits, on the written or oral request of any stockholder of the Company. Please send a written request to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the address set forth on the first page of this Proxy Statement or call 1-800-579-1639.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Proxy Statement and other Company communications may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”), that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Proxy Statement, including statements about our Board of Directors, corporate governance practices, executive compensation program, equity compensation utilization and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) initiatives, are “forward-looking statements” as referred to in the Reform Act. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, any time we use the words “may,” “will,” “can,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “continue,” “plan,” and similar expressions, we intend to clearly express that the information deals with possible future events and is forward-looking in nature.
Significant factors that could impact our future results or outcomes are described in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC. We assume no obligation (and specifically disclaim any such obligation) to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Website References
Website references throughout this document are inactive textual references and provided for convenience only, and the content on the referenced website is not incorporated herein by reference and does not constitute a part of the Proxy Statement.